Wood Baits
by Jeff Bruhl

Wood baits offer something different over their plastic brothers. From action to buoyancy, wood lures are another great choice for bass anglers. Lee Sisson's Lures take years of experience and places it in every product. Wood crankbaits are excellent in various situations on just about any body of water. With a few tips about wood crankbaits, the advantages of a wood lure become part of the any angler's arsenal.

Lee Sisson (http://www.leesissonlures.com), who grew up in Louisiana and fished tournaments all over the state, knows wood plugs are better for several reasons.

Lee begins, It is my belief that a wood lure is better because when it is built, the weight is placed in the center where the lure pivots around the weight.

The balance of the lure provides an easier and quicker retrieve. Baseball players know that a light bat is easier to swing than a heavier bat. A wood lure offers less resistance due to the center balance and density of wood over plastic. The advantages of balance are better action, better feel for the angler, and quicker retrieve.

Crankbaits are divided into two categories: shallow and deep. Lip angle, size of body, and line ties are a few characteristics that help divide the baits into the shallow and deep groups.

The shallow lures have a line tie on the nose of the lure, adds Lee, who has years of experience designing crankbait under his belt. A deep diving small lure may run shallower than a shallow diving large lure because of size.

As a rule, the larger the body the deeper a bait dives. Large body lure tend to dive deeper because there is more surface area to work against. Lip angle adds to the confusing. A straight bill on baits makes the lure dive deeper. As the angle of the lip drops and points closer to the belly of the bait, the shallower the bait will run. When the line tie is moved towards the end of the bill, this also adds depth to the dive.

Many pros recommend selecting a crankbait that dives to the bottom. This is good advice if that is where the strike zone is found. A better tactic is selecting wood bait that dives a specific depth and trying it in water deep and shallow. For example, suspending fish often frustrate anglers. A crankbait that dives to the strike zone of three to five feet covers more water than baits that is constantly pounding the bottom. Wood lures offer quick, easy retrieves when searcher for the strike zone.

"Tuning a lure is very important", continues Lee, whose company offers a complete line of crankbaits plus other selections like topwater and spinnerbaits. To get maximum results, the lure should track straight and run true.

Most crankbaits need to be tuned after the package is opened. It takes a few minutes but pays off big as the lure runs through the water. To tune a lure, simply bend the eye right or left until it dive straight. Only bend the eye slightly. A general rule is bending the eye the opposite direction it is tracking. If it runs to the right, bend the eye slightly to the left when the lure is facing you. However, a lure that runs right or left is great for cranking under docks where other anglers do not fish.

A few tips about wood lures will add fun and excitement to your next trip. Banging the bottom, burning a crankbait, or running a crankbait under a dock are just a few ways to catch fish. Wood lures offer better performance due to their balance and ease of retrieve. If you are totally plastic with your crankbaits, tie on a wood lure for a different look and feel.

More Tips and Article by Jeff